Yoga offers abundant benefits to people of all ages. The physical and emotional benefits are especially helpful in combating the aches and pains that come with aging and keeping the mind alert and relaxed. However, as we age there are some factors to consider when practicing yoga. Yoga offers a holistic view to health and wellness that offers specific benefits for disease prevention and retaining flexibility, balance and strength. Some of the benefits for people over the age of 60 include improved circulation, digestion, flexibility and blood pressure. In terms of disease prevention, yoga offers benefits for a wide range … Continue reading →

Improving memory is a common goal at all ages, but especially as we begin to age and naturally worry about mental function. Yoga increases perception and enhances memory and mental function. There are several ways that yoga helps to improve memory. The asanas in yoga help to increase oxygen and blood circulation in the body. This also benefits the brain. Increased oxygen and blood circulation help the mind function at the optimum level. Certain yoga asanas can help bring oxygen to the brain. Inversions help to bring oxygen rich blood to the brain. In addition to inversions, flowing sequences, such … Continue reading →

Yoga Recess is an initiative of the Yoga Health Foundation to bring yoga to children across the United States. The organization is hoping to raise $10,000 by the end of April and use the money to provide free Yoga Recess DVDs to teachers throughout the country to use with their students. The goal is not only to introduce yoga to children, but to allow kids the opportunity to enjoy the many physical and emotional benefits of yoga. Concerns about the health of our children have been expressed by nearly every segment of society. The Yoga Health Foundation is highlighting the … Continue reading →

Yoga offers significant and wide ranging health benefits at all ages, but there are benefits to practicing yoga over the age of 40. Taking a greater interest in general health and longevity is common after age 40 and yoga is the perfect way to start on a path toward healthier living. As we age, aches and pains become more common and yoga offers relief of many of these aches and pains. In addition, yoga helps to strengthen the muscles and joints, which helps to maintain mobility and flexibility over the coming decades. A significant benefit of yoga is that the … Continue reading →

Many people suffer from insomnia. Some experience short periods of sleeplessness when going through a challenging time in life, while others are plagued with the problem night after night. The cause of insomnia varies, but stress, medical problems, life changes and some prescription drugs can contribute to the inability to get to sleep and sleep throughout the night. Although sleep medications are available, there are natural methods to induce sleep. Practicing yoga is effective for combating many of the causes of insomnia. Yoga helps relieve stress, improves a wide range of medical conditions and the awareness and peace experienced with … Continue reading →

The benefits of exercise in pregnancy have been well documented. Yoga is an excellent choice for a low impact form of exercise at all stages of pregnancy. The physical and emotional benefits of yoga for pregnant women are numerous. Prenatal yoga has been shown to reduce many of the common discomforts associated with pregnancy. The aches and pains that are common in pregnancy are often relieved by gentle stretching, such as low back pain, sciatica, headaches and fatigue that are associated with pregnancy. Yoga helps you deal with the changes your body is experiencing and adapt to your changing body. … Continue reading →

Family yoga classes are a fun way for the whole family to experience yoga. There are many benefits gained from the practice of yoga and adults aren’t the only ones who can benefit from the health benefits and calming effects of yoga. A family yoga class is different than your typical class designed for adults. There won’t be much meditation or complicated poses or sequences. These classes tend to be child focused and fun. Often, instructors use stories or songs that contain yoga poses as characters to teach asanas to children. The stories and music are designed to capture and … Continue reading →

Yoga offers many benefits to athletes, regardless of the sport they play. Adding a yoga practice to the training routine increases flexibility and strength, and this can increase performance in any sport. This increase in strength and flexibility can give the athlete an edge when competing. Yoga has another benefit that is leading many coaches and trainers to add a yoga routine to their athletes’ training schedules. Yoga is beneficial for injury prevention by stretching and strengthening the joints and muscles. Classes for athletes focus on strengthening areas of the body that are prone to injury, such as the knees, … Continue reading →

Yoga offers many benefits in pregnancy. Yoga strengthens and tones the muscles, improves circulation and respiration and helps to stabilize mood. However, there are some asanas that need to be modified and some that should be avoided until after the baby is born. For example, most inversions should be avoided late in pregnancy. Use extreme caution with any of the twist poses, but particularly those which require a deep twist in the abdomen. These are often uncomfortable and deep twists in the abdominal area could potentially cause injury to the baby. Either take a lighter twist in place of the … Continue reading →

If you want a unique party theme, consider hosting a yoga party. A yoga party is a relaxing and invigorating get together and a fun way to spend time with friends and family. This is fairly easy to plan and doesn’t take a lot of work, compared with other parties. You’ll need to start with the guest list, as with any party planning. Don’t limit your guests to people in your life who already practice yoga, or even to just women. You may be surprised at the people in your life who have thought about trying yoga, but haven’t. Once … Continue reading →